Raise the Line

“Delivering a baby one day and holding a patient’s hand at the end of life literally the next day...that continuity is very powerful,” says Dr. Jen Brull, board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). And as she points out, that continuity also builds trust with patients, an increasingly valuable commodity when faith in medicine and science is declining. As you might expect given her role, Dr. Brull believes strengthening family medicine is the key to improving health and healthcare. Exactly how to do that is at the heart of her conversation with host Lindsey Smith on this episode of Raise the Line, which covers ideas for payment reform, reducing administrative burdens, and stronger support for physician well-being. And with a projected shortage of nearly forty thousand primary care physicians, Dr. Brull also shares details on AAFP’s “Be There First” initiative which is designed to attract service-minded medical students – whom she describes as family physicians at heart -- early in their educational journey. “I have great hope that increasing the number of these service-first medical students will fill part of this gap.”Tune-in for an informative look at a cornerstone of the healthcare system and what it means to communities of all sizes throughout the nation.  Mentioned in this episode:AAFP If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

“This is a time to reimagine public health and public health/healthcare system integration,” says Dr. Deb Houry, the former chief medical officer for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In this thoughtful Raise the Line conversation, Dr. Houry reflects on unprecedented federal action in vaccine guidance and other issues since her noteworthy resignation from the CDC in August, and sees a more decentralized landscape emerging where states and localities play a larger role in providing public health recommendations. And while she acknowledges upsides to this shift, she’s also concerned what the absence of a national consensus on health standards could mean. “Diseases don't recognize borders, and it’s also important that people have equitable access to preventative services, vaccines, and other things,” she tells host Lindsey Smith. Tune in for Dr. Houry’s seasoned perspective on this consequential moment in public health, and her encouraging message for learners and early career providers considering a career in the sector.Mentioned in this episode:DH Leadership & Strategy Solutions If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

“My most powerful content is when I lead with my voice as a mom because I have the same concerns about keeping my kids safe as my audience does. It’s a powerful and effective way to find common ground with people,” says Dr. Jess Steier, a popular public health scientist and science communicator seeking to bridge divides and foster trust through empathetic, evidence-based communication. Dr. Steier has several platforms from which to do this work, including  Unbiased Science --  a communication hub that uses multiple social media platforms and other communications channels to share validated health and science information -- and as executive director of the Science Literacy Lab, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reaching a diverse audience seeking clarity and reliable information on scientific topics. “The science is less than half the battle,” she explains. “It’s about how to communicate with empathy.”Join Raise the Line host Lindsey Smith for a valuable conversation that explores:What sources Dr. Steier relies on to validate informationHow she uses “escape room” exercises to train clinicians on empathetic communicationWhy tailored, story-driven messages reach audiences more effectively than facts.Mentioned in this episode:Unbiased Science If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

“I realized that rather than talking one-to-one with patients in the exam room, you could talk one-to-many on social media,” says Dr. Kevin Pho, explaining the origins of KevinMD, the highly influential information sharing site he created for physicians, medical students and patients twenty years ago. Since then, KevinMD has become a valuable space for clinicians and patients to share stories and perspectives on topics from burnout and moral injury to technology and trust. In this conversation with Raise the Line host Michael Carrese, Dr. Pho reflects on the dual paths that have defined his career: as a practicing internal medicine physician and as one of healthcare’s most trusted online voices. And despite the challenges of doing so, Dr. Pho encourages other medical providers to follow his lead. “Patients are going online, and if physicians are not there, they’re going to get information that’s perhaps politically-driven or simply inaccurate.”This thoughtful conversation also explores: How social media has reshaped health communicationThe risks and rewards for clinicians of having an online presence Why medical schools should teach negotiating skillsMentioned in this episode:KevinMDEstablishing, Managing and Protecting Your Online Reputation If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

“We’ve created this ecosystem where the vast majority of information on social media, particularly in nutrition science, is inaccurate or misleading,” says Dr. Jessica Knurick, a registered dietitian and Ph.D. in nutrition science specializing in chronic disease prevention. As you’ll learn on this episode of Raise the Line with host Lindsey Smith, countering that trend has become Dr. Knurick’s focus in the past several years, and her talent for translating complex scientific information into practical guidance has attracted a large following on social media. Beyond equipping her audience with the tools to think critically and make informed choices for themselves, she also wants them to make the connection between the generally poor health status of most Americans with public policies on food and health and advocate for more beneficial approaches. “We can create systems that put the most people in the position to succeed versus putting the most people in the position to fail.” Tune in to learn from this trusted voice on nutrition, food policy, and public health as she shares her perspectives on: Strategies for risk reduction and behavior changeWhat can rebuild trust in medical information How you can cut through the noise and spot misinformation onlineMentioned in this episode:Dr. Knurick’s WebsiteTikTok ChannelInstagram FeedFacebook Page If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

Could studying the DNA of extinct animals – or even bringing them back to life – help us save today’s endangered species and inform modern medicine?  That may sound like the premise for a Hollywood movie, but it’s work that our Raise the Line guest, Dr. Beth Shapiro, is actually engaged in as Chief Science Officer at Colossal Biosciences, which describes itself as the world’s first and only de-extinction company.  “It's not just about learning about the past. It's learning about the past so we have more validated scientific information that we can use to predict what we can do to better influence the future,” she tells host Michael Carrese. An internationally-renowned evolutionary molecular biologist and paleogeneticist, Dr. Shapiro is a pioneer in ancient DNA research and has successfully sequenced genomes, like that of the dodo, to study evolution and the impact on humans. At Colossal Biosciences, she leads teams working to bring back traits of extinct species such as the mammoth, not for spectacle, but to restore ecological balance. “When species become extinct, you lose really fundamental interactions between species that existed in that ecosystem. By taking a species that's alive today and editing its DNA so that it resembles those extinct species, we can functionally replace those missing ecological interactions.” Tune into this utterly fascinating conversation to hear about what Jurassic Park got wrong, the positive ecological impact of reintroducing giant tortoises to Mauritius, and the ethics of using gene editing and other biotechnologies. Mentioned in this episode:Colossal Biosciences If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

According to the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, women make up 70% of the global healthcare workforce but hold only about 25% of leadership positions. Our guest today on Raise the Line, Dr. Roopa Dhatt, has been a leading voice in the movement to correct that imbalance through co-founding an organization called Women in Global Health (WGH), which has established chapters in over 60 countries since it started a decade ago. Dr. Dhatt is also pursuing that agenda and addressing other pressing issues in healthcare as a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum. “We’re changing the equation so women delivering health are also viewed and valued as leaders,” says the internal medicine physician and assistant professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Beyond leadership equity, Dr. Dhatt is also seeking to address systemic pay inequities and high levels of violence and harassment experienced by women in the health sector, issues that were highlighted in research conducted by WGH. Although WGH has seen high-level success influencing policy at the World Health Organization and United Nations, Dr. Dhatt says the heart of its success is local. “Women community health workers have begun to see themselves as leaders and the heroines of health in their communities. That’s profound change.” Join host Michael Carrese for a probing conversation that identifies the structural barriers blocking advancement for women and that explains why the health of communities and the planet depend on inclusive leadership.Mentioned in this episode:Women in Global HealthWHO Report: Delivered By Women, Led By MenDr. Roopa Dhatt on LinkedIn If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

“They say it takes a village to raise a child. I really think it takes a village to treat a patient,” says Dr. Lanae Mullane, a naturopathic doctor and clinical strategist who has spent years at the forefront of bridging functional medicine, nutraceutical development, and digital health. In this episode of Raise the Line, host Lindsey Smith explores Dr. Mullane’s view that naturopathic medicine complements conventional care by expanding -- not replacing -- the clinical toolkit, and that collaboration should be the future of medicine. “At the end of the day, collaboration and connection create the best outcomes for the people we serve,” she says. Their in-depth conversation also spans the shifting landscape of women’s hormone health, including the perimenopausal transition and long-overdue calls for research equity. “We're not just smaller versions of men. We need to have dedicated research for us.” Tune in to learn about the importance of grounding health in sustainable habits, rethinking midlife care for women, and how to help patients take ownership of their health.Mentioned in this episode:Joi + BlokesSuppCoDr. Mullane's Clinical Website If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

“It’s kind of a miracle, frankly,” says Dr. John Buse, a distinguished professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, referring to the effectiveness of GLP-1 receptor agonist medications such as Ozempic in treating type 2 diabetes, promoting significant weight loss, and reducing cardiovascular risk. As a physician scientist for the last three decades at UNC, Dr. Buse has played a key role in ushering in this new era of diabetes care, leading or participating in over 200 clinical studies on this class of drugs and others. “Nothing has impacted diabetes care like the GLP-1 receptor agonists. I have lots of patients whose diabetes was never well controlled who have seen all their metabolic problems essentially resolved.”  In this fascinating conversation with Raise the Line host Lindsey Smith, Dr. Buse not only explains how these drugs work, but also provides a clear-eyed look at side effects, and addresses issues of cost and access. Join us for the remarkable story – including the role played by Gila monsters -- behind one of the biggest developments in medicine over the past several years from a world renowned diabetes researcher and clinician. Mentioned in this episode:UNC School of Medicine If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast

“It wasn’t a profession, it was a way of life,” observes internationally respected psychiatrist Dr. Nasser Loza, reflecting on a century-long family legacy in mental health care that began when his grandfather founded The Behman Hospital in Cairo. In this candid Raise the Line conversation with host Michael Carrese, Dr. Loza traces the transformation of psychiatry he’s witnessed in his long career as increases in classifications, payment bureaucracy, reliance on pharmaceuticals, and technological disruption have each left their mark. The cumulative costs associated with these changes have, he laments, pushed care out of reach for many and hindered the human connection that is key to the discipline. He describes his prescription for countering these trends as a focus on effective and modest aims. “Rather than saying, come and see me in therapy for five years and I will make a better person out of you, I think focusing on symptom-targeted help is going to be what is needed.”  In this wide-ranging interview, you’ll also learn about progress on advancing the rights of mental health patients and lowering stigmas, how to manage the rise of online therapy and use of AI chatbots, and the importance of empathy and transparency in mental health counseling. Don’t miss this valuable perspective on a critically important dimension of healthcare that’s informed by decades of experience as a clinician, government official and global advocate. Mentioned in this episode:The Behman HospitalMaadi Psychology Center If you like this podcast, please share it on your social channels. You can also subscribe to the series and check out all of our episodes at www.osmosis.org/podcast